Cartels Exploit Caribbean Escort Industry

A group of women, many of them from Amazonian regions, dance to the beat of Karol G, their eyes scanning for tourists emerging from Fifth Avenue nightclubs in Playa del Carmen, a popular tourist destination. They offer an hour of "unlimited caressing" for four thousand pesos, but five hundred pesos of this fee is taken as a tax by the controlling cartel. This cartel manages bribes to local authorities, maintaining a firm grip on the region.

The Yucatán peninsula has become a hotspot for sexual exploitation, with international law enforcement agency Interpol identifying it as such. Interpol has urged the Attorney General's Office (FGR) to conduct operations to combat this issue. Cities like Playa del Carmen, Cancún, Tulum, Cholul, Mérida, and Chetumal have become notorious for the trafficking of women. Women from Colombia, Venezuela, Cuba, and even Mexico are visible in the streets, motels, and online, often exploited by organized crime groups. This is all happening under the watch of local police and immigration authorities.

The prostitution industry has modernized, now accepting credit card payments. The competition for clients intensifies during the off-peak season, leading to a more aggressive search for customers.

Victoria, a 30-year-old from Medellín, Colombia, migrated to escape a life of abuse and uncertainty. She needed to support her two children and saw this as her only option. Despite having worked in various regions in Mexico, she has never felt as harassed by the cartels as she does now. Another woman, Angy from Venezuela, admits she prefers foreign clients who use cocaine, as they are less likely to haggle over her rate.

Raquel, from Santander, Colombia, arrived in Mexico just two weeks ago. She came with several Colombian friends, all of whom were lured to Mexico under false pretenses. Cristóbal Paulino Fernández Viamonte, known as 'El Cubano,' was arrested by Interpol following an investigation into human trafficking.

*For more information, visit: Authorities confirm new wave of violence and blockades in Sinaloa